Ask most business owners and leaders, and you’ll hear that they’re committed to (or at least concerned about) data security.
But what does that mean exactly, especially in 2026? Most everyday businesses have data in the cloud, stored locally on network servers, copied onto individual machines, you name it. And that says nothing about AI and how it can affect data security.
If you’re worried about data security for your business — or even if you’re pretty sure everything’s OK — It’s time for a quick reality check.
Troubling Stats from Large Businesses
If you’re reading this blog post, chances are you don’t represent an enterprise business. But since the big guys tend to be more focused on IT security, the state of data security there does have something to say about small and midsized businesses.
And even among large businesses, the reports aren’t great.
In surveys of IT leaders, data security consistently ranks near or atop the list of concerns or priorities around IT modernization. Yet when you those same IT leaders about regulatory audits (the primary enterprise tool to verify data and IT security), about two-thirds of them lack confidence they’ll pass their next audit.
In other words: IT leaders know how important data security is, and they’re still worried that their businesses are at risk.
If that’s true for the biggest players, then chances are it’s true for you, too.
Hybrid Infrastructure Is the Norm in 2026
One reason data security has gotten so tricky is the move to hybrid infrastructure.
Most businesses are operating this way whether they went there intentionally or not.
If you’re using cloud software and still maintaining hardware on site (like older systems or servers), then you’re de facto dealing with a hybrid infrastructure.
Cloud software here includes things like Microsoft 365, most CRM systems, file-sharing platforms, and many other web-based applications like accounting systems or POS platforms.
On-prem infrastructure includes servers and networking on-site at your business.
It’s 100% normal to use a mix of both. Many modern cloud tools are incredibly powerful and convenient, allowing you to offload certain aspects of your business’s operational or IT load so you can focus on your core priorities.
Hybrid Infrastructure Muddies the Waters
Still, as soon as you start mixing infrastructure types, you open up new questions (or make the answers to old questions more complex).
Questions like:
- Which users should have access to what data and systems?
- Which systems should have access to data in other systems?
- How does that data move between systems?
- How can we ensure old apps and platforms don’t retain sensitive information?
- Do we have processes in place to review and clean up access permissions?
To be clear, most of these questions mattered before everything started moving to the cloud. But they’re even more urgent today.
Legacy Systems Can Create Vulnerabilities
One reason is that many businesses still rely on certain legacy systems and software (think industry-specific stuff you’ve been using for years and haven’t found a suitable modern replacement). Over time, these may become less and less secure, especially if the makers no longer support them or have gone out of business.
That’s already a security risk, but now those legacy systems might connect to your cloud resources. If threat actors compromise a vulnerable legacy system, they may worm their way into a lot more.
AI Enters the Chat
On top of all this, businesses are grappling with AI. On the front end, you could have an employee spilling company secrets to their favorite AI chatbot. Under the hood, you could be trying to roll out AI-driven process changes. But if your data isn’t clean and properly managed, AI tools will just push you faster in the wrong direction.
The Key Question: Has Your Data Security Evolved With You?
All of this leads to one key question: as your IT systems and processes continue to evolve, are your data security practices keeping up?
If you’re concerned that your capabilities are moving faster than your safeguards and processes, we can help. Reach out this week to start shoring up your approach to data security and IT.